Desk pedestal construction



April 6, 1965 Filed June 20, 1963 I I 22 41W ll" H II ZLLL 2M" J. P. ERICSON ETAL DESK PEDESTAL CONSTRUCTION 37% Emv9ymmd 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III JMUW AI i I w 1 I E EL'J I I E F! I. I ::'F i

United States Patent Ofiice ddllfllfi Patented Apr. 6, 1965 This invention relates to a pedestal construction for office furniture such as desks, Credenzas, and the like, and more particularly the invention is concerned with a unique pedestal framing arrangement and with a lock assembly which may readily be installed in the pedestal for controlling drawer latching facilities in the usual way.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simplified pedestal framing arrangement to ensure pedestal squareness and thereby achieve good drawer alignment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pedestal framing arrangement suitable for use in interchangeable component metal ofiice furniture constructions.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel pedestal framing arrangement and separate drawer lock assembly for ready connection thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a pedestal type desk constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pedestal shell and framing structure of this invention; and

FIG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a reinforced corner detail; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views taken respec tively on the lines 33 and 4-4, as indicated in FIG. 1, and with the drawers removed from the pedestal to facilitate the disclosure.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a desk incorporating this invention is designated generally at and includes a top Ill and a pedestal 12 carried on corner legs 13 and engaging in flush supporting relation with the underface of the top 11. The pedestal 12 as illustrated herein, houses a pair of slidable drawers 14 and 15 of any conventional type, and a filler panel unit 16 spans the upper edge of the pedestal face and houses lock actuating facilities for controlling a latch bar 17 of any conventional form. A center filler panel 18 is also shown for the desk, but it may be replaced if desired in favor of a center drawer.

The details of the pedestal construction per so are best shown in the perspective views of FIGS. 2 and 2A. The pedestal includes front and rear O-frames 19 and 26, re spectively, embraced by a one-piece wrap-around shell S comprised of a base panel 21 and side panels 22 and 23 projecting correspondingly forwardly in parallel spaced relation from opposite extremities of the base panel. As illustrated herein, the base panel 21 forms the back wall of the pedestal housing and the side panels 22 and 23 form the respective side walls of the pedestal housing. Thus, each of these panels extends vertically and their composite arrangement defines a U-shaped plan outline configuration that borders and defines a drawer mounting space which has its front face open, its rear face closed, and its top and bottom faces open.

In the preferred shell arrangement illustrated herein, the upper horizontal edge of each panel is provided with an inwardly directed flange 21U, Z2U, and 23U and the lower horizontal edge of each panel is provided with an inwardly directed flange 21L, 22L, and 23L. The forward extremity of each side panel 22 and 23 has a generally inwardly directed rnultiangular flange 22F and 23F presenting vertical face portions bordering the open front of the pedestal. A bottom panel 24 closes the bottom face of the drawer space and is rigidly secured to the corresponding lower edge panel flanges 21L, 22L and 231.. The bottom panel has a generally inwardly directed multiangular flange 24F at its forward extremity and presenting a horizontal face across the bottom of the front opening of the pedestal.

The front and rear O-frames 19 and 20 are of generally rectangular outline and oriented vertically and disposed in horizontal alignment within the shell S at an opposite fore-and aft extreme of the drawer space.

The front O-frame 19 is comprised at right angularly connected top, bottom, and left and right-hand channel like rails 19 T, 19B, 191. and 19R respectively, of generally hat-shaped cross section to present a groove G bordered by a channel wall 25 and flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges 26 and 27, respectively, that are secured directly against the corresponding body portions of the panels. Similarly, the rear O-frarne Z0 is comprised of right angularly connected top, bottom, left and right hand channel like rails 20T, 20B, 20L and 20R, respectively, of generally hat-shaped cross section to present a groove G bordered by a channel wall 28 and flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges 29 and 30, respectively, that are secured directly against the corresponding body portions of the panels.

Each of the O-frarnes has a welded reinforced corner construction and these O-frames constitute the principal load bearing elements of the pedestal. Their rectangular alignment is precise and is depended upon to ensure pedestal squareness and to achieve good drawer alignment.

The Weak point in O-frames of this general construction isat the corner regions. In the present arrangement, the use of hat-shaped sections on all sides enables a sturdy corner construction while facilitating part standardization and interchangeable mounting and connection of the pedestals to the desk top by means of elongated desk top mounting elements 32.

In the preferred arrangement, the extremities of the channel walls 25 and 28 of the vertical rails 19L, 19R, 20L and 26R are punched and bent out to provide integral right angle side flanges F flanking and defining a corner socket that receives the channel portion of the end of the corresponding horizontal rail. The flanges F, as punched, have corner notches to leave an integral gage portion G projecting endwise from the vertical rail to contact the corresponding horizontal rail and thereby determine the rail spacing and thus facilitate O-frarne assembly. The flanges F are spot welded at points indicated by Xs, to the channel portion of the corresponding horizontal rail.

Each reinforced corner construction also includes a welded corner bracket B spot welded to the adjacent exterior flanges designated 26 in the case of the meeting rail ends of the front Oframe and 2h in the case of the meeting rail ends of the rear O-frame. The brackets B have a single-topped hole H which is oriented vertically in the case of the lower corner brackets and horizontally in the case of the upper corner brackets. This particular O-frame unit construction has a most important additional advantage in that the top and bottom rails of each unit are identical, and the side rails of each unit are identical. Moreover, the overall arrangement of the front and rear units are identical, though facing in opposite directions. Thus, only two types of rail elements are required for the makeup of both the front and rear O-frame units.

' The vertical channel walls 25 and 28 of each O-frame have a pre-punched opening arrangement to receive the usual drawer slide attachments. The top rails 19T and 20T of each O-frame open endwise through the pedestal through recesses 31 which are provided to accommodate elongated mounting elements 32 carried in fixed predetermined spaced relation on the underface of. the desk top and preferably comprised of C-channel sections. Swing nuts 33, carried on actuating screws 33A that project through the top channel wall 25, are'disposed in masked relation within the C-channels to secure the top 11 with respect tothe pedestal 12.

In the illustrated arrangement, the outer side panel 23 is substantially masked by an end filler panel 34 that terminates short of the fore and aft extremities of the pedestal to define therewith external vertical corner grooves or recesses for mounting the corner legs 13 within the generally rectangular plan outline of the desk. Each leg 13 is at a location that underlies the corner 1100f the top and that overlaps the outer flange of the corresponding vertical side rail.

To mount each leg 13, a special shouldered screw S, FIG. 4, projects through suitable registered holes provided in the panel 23 and the vertical flange 26] and is engaged in the horizontal hole H of the upper corner bracket B. The upper end of the leg has an upwardly opening slot, not shown, to enable the leg to be slid upwardly into flanking seating engagement with the shouldered screw. At the lower end of the pedestal (see FIG. 1) an L-clip hooks into the leg and underlies the O-frame to enable a vertical attachment screw V to engage the vertical hole in the adjacent lower corner bracket B.

The filler panel unit 16 across the top of the front face of the pedestal may comprise a self-contained unit lock assembly. The assembly includes a formed steel plate having a generally U-shaped filler section 36 including a top wall 36T, a front wall 36F, and a bottom wall 36B. The bottom wall 36B is extended inwardly to provide a mounting plate 36F that will underlie in flush relation against the oifset channel wall 25 of the top rail 191 of the front O-frame 19, and mounting screws 37 extend through these parts to secure the filler panel assembly 16 in its illustrated position spanning the top edge of the pedestal face.

A lock unit is mounted within the filler section 36- and includes an elongated clip 38 attached to the bottom wall of the filler section and supporting a lock barrel 39 in a position to register with a wall opening provided in the front wall 36F of the filler section, and preferably centrally thereof. A tumbler 40 is engageable with a lock rod 41 that extends laterally from the rear end of the barrelto adjacent a side edge of the filler section 36. The lock rod 41 is arranged to reciprocate laterally upon turning of the tumbler 40. A lock crank 42 is mounted in an elongated rod bearing '43 provided on. the underface of the mounting plate 361 and at its forward end has asmall offset 428 engaged to the lock rod 41' to impart A largercranking motion upon reciprocation thereof. offset 42L is provided at the inner end of the crank and engages the drawer latch bar 17 toshift the same vertically. The crank 42 is engaged with the bar 17 during the time that the filler panel 16 is initially inserted into installed position. The'two mounting screws 37 are all that are required to secure the parts and' the action ofthe locking arrangement is conventional.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: a

1. A pedestal O-frame of rectangular outline and comprised of parallel pairs of rails constituting top, bottom and side rails, each of hat-shaped section having an inwardly offset channel wall flanked by exterior and interior.

4 edge flanges, said rails having meeting endsdefining corners of said frame, with each such corner having one rail'end thereof equipped with integral right angle end flanges bent out from the material of the channel wall to border and define a socket for receiving the other rail end of such corner, said end flanges having rigid securement to corresponding portions of said other rail end, 7

and a separate corner bracket for each corner of said frame and secured to each of the rail ends thereof;

2. A pedestal O-frame of rectangular outline and comprised of parallel pairs of rails constituting top, bottom and side rails each of hat-shaped section having an inwardly olfset channel wall flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges, said rails having meeting ends defimng corners of said frame, with each such corner having one rail end thereof equipped with integral right angle end flanges bent out from the material of the channel wall to border and define a socket for receiving the other rail end of such corner, said end flanges having rigid securement tocorresponding portions of said other rail end, each of said end flanges having a notch at corresponding corner regions thereof to leave an endwise projecting gage portion at each channel wall for position determining engagement with the channel wall of the adjacent rail end, and a separate corner bracket for each corner of said frame and secured to each of the rail ends thereof.

3. A pedestal O-frame of rectangular outline and comprised of parallel pairs of rails constituting top, bottom,

and side rails each of hat-shaped section having an inwardly offset channel wall flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges, said rails having meeting ends defining corners of said frame, with each siich corner having one rail end thereof equipped with integral right angle end flanges bent out from the material of the channel. wall to border and define a. socket for receiving the other tail end of such corner, said end flanges having rigid secure ment to corresponding portions of said other rail end, and a separate L-shaped bracket in rigid weld securement on inward faces of the exterior flanges of the meeting rail ends at each corner.

4. A pedestal O-frame of rectangular outline and comprised of parallel pairs of rails constituting top, bottom and side rails each of hat-shaped section having an inwardly offset channel wall flanked by exterior and interior edge flanges, said rails having meeting ends defining corners of said frame, with each such corner having one rail end thereof equipped with integral right angle end flanges bent out from the material of the channel. wall to border and define a socket for receiving the other rail end of such corner, said end flanges having rigid weld securement to corresponding portions of said other rail end, each of said end flanges having a notch at corresponding corner regions thereof to leave an endwise projecting gage portion at each channel wall for position UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,606,178 11/26 Rand 312-219 1,749,217 3/30 Heelan 312-219 2,387,506 10/ 45 Freeman 312- 2,472,579 6/49 Freeman 312-195 2,717,094 9/55 Moore 220-4 2,992,055 7/61 Kass 312-195 3,125,387 3/64 Abrahamson 3 1 2-195 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,182,304 6/59 France. 1,190,221 10/59 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. CHANCELLOR E. HARRIs'Examiner. 

1. A PEDESTAL O-FRAME OF RECTANGULAR OUTLINE AND COMPRISED OF PARALLEL PAIRS OF RAILS CONSTITUTING TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE RAILS, EACH OF HAT-SHAPED SECTION HAVING AN INWARDLY OFFSET CHANNEL WALL FLANKED BY EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR EDGE FLANGES, SAID RAILS HAVING MEETING ENDS DEFINING CORNERS OF SAID FRAME, WITH EACH SUCH CORNER HAVING ONE RAIL END THEREOF EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRAL RIGHT ANGLE END FLANGES BENT OUT FROM THE MATERIAL OF THE CHANNEL WALL TO BORDER AND DEFINE A SOCKET FOR RECEIVING THE OTHER RAIL END OF SUCH CORNER, SAID END FLANGES HAVING RIGID SECUREMENT TO CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF SAID OTHER RAIL END, AND A SEPARATE CORNER BRACKET FOR EACH CORNER OF SAID FRAME AND SECURED TO EACH OF THE RAIL ENDS THEREOF. 